MK Stalin Suffers Setback As Madras HC Junks Plea Over Poll Defeat In Kolathur Bastion

DMK chief MK Stalin suffered a setback on Thursday after the Madras High Court dismissed his plea seeking 100 per cent counting of VVPAT slips in Tamil Nadu's Kolathur Assembly constituency, where he suffered a surprise defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections. Stalin has also sought the invalidation of TVK's VS Babu's election and a declaration that he be elected from the constituency. Babu defeated Stalin, who had represented Kolathur since the seat was created in 2011, by 8,795 votes. Babu secured 82,997 votes, while Stalin polled 74,202 and finished second. The Election Commission had challenged the maintainability of Stalin's writ petition, arguing that an election result could be challenged only through an election petition under the Representation of the People Act. ALSO READ | Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row: Kharge Writes To Nadda, Asks Why No FIR Has Been Filed Yet Election Commission Questions Maintainability Of Stalin's Plea The Election Commission argued that Stalin should have pursued an election petition within the prescribed time to challenge the result. The dispute also centres on the verification of electronic voting machines following the election. After the results were declared on May 4, Stalin applied on May 7 for verification of 14 EVM sets, equivalent to 5 per cent of the 286 sets used in the constituency. However, the verification process began only on July 29 and was completed on August 5. Stalin has argued that the delay affected his ability to pursue his legal remedy within the prescribed period for challenging the election. Stalin's Kolathur Bastion Falls To TVK's VS Babu The defeat marked a major political setback for Stalin in a constituency he had won in three consecutive elections since Kolathur was formed in 2011. VS Babu, who emerged victorious by 8,795 votes, attributed his win to TVK chief Vijay and his own familiarity with the area. He also linked the result to what he described as people's desire for political change in Tamil Nadu. "I have won only with our leader. Our leader's face is the face of Tamil Nadu. People wanted a change, and they have changed this," Babu told news agency ANI. Babu also highlighted his local connection, saying he was born and brought up in the area and understood the concerns of its residents. ALSO READ | Raghav Chadha’s Name Deleted From Punjab Draft Voter Rolls, Marked ‘Permanently Shifted’ VS Babu Says Voters Wanted Change In Tamil Nadu Reflecting on his victory over Stalin, Babu said his familiarity with local people helped him understand the constituency's mood. "I was born and brought up in that area. We know the pulse of people," he said. Taking a swipe at Stalin, Babu claimed that the DMK chief did not have the same connection with local residents. "It's we who made him (MK Stalin) enter Kolathur. He doesn't know anyone in Kolathur. Whether he is CM or MLA, he should mingle with the local people first. People are watching it," he said. The Madras High Court's dismissal of Stalin's plea now marks another development in the dispute over the Kolathur election result, which saw the DMK chief lose the constituency he had held across three previous Assembly elections.